TNI to withdraw troops from Poso

TNI to withdraw troops from Poso

PALU, Southeast Sulawesi: The Indonesian Military (TNI) will
withdraw some 1,000 soldiers from Poso by the end of this year, a
local military commander said on Monday.

"The troops will be withdrawn after the Sept. 20 election
runoff and the Poso regental election in November," Poso Military
District commander Lt. Col. IGK Gunawan said.

An additional 997 soldiers have been deployed here since March
2004 as reinforcement to local security.

Poso regency and the neighboring regencies of Morowali and
Tojo-Unauna have been the site of a three-year sectarian conflict
that ended in 2003 with a government-sponsored peace pact, but
sporadic attacks have continued to the present. -- Antara